The Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve REDD Project

Changes to Project resulting from stakeholder consultationsPrior to the social survey and dialogues with communitystakeholders, project proponents intended to offer a limited setof social programs targeted directly at reducing communityimpacts on the Project Area. These early programs, building onwork by OFI and World Education in the region, focused onconservation education and increased crop yields.The results of the social survey made it clear that these measureswould be insufficient. The development of oil palm in the regionappears to be following the same course as in other parts ofIndonesia, suggesting that the region will see an increase inconflicts and a diminishment in environmental services, even ifthe ‘without project’ scenario is successfully avoided. Alreadythe region’s ability to sustain traditional livelihoods is in decline.Fishing yields have decreased over the past few years with therise of flooding, clean water is a scarce commodity, and oil palmcompanies have commenced a campaign of land seizures thatwill likely end only when all viable land has been usurped.In discussions with community members, time and again accessto clean water was listed as the top priority for any developmentprogram. After survey results were compiled, project proponentsimmediately began researching appropriate programs, andPotters for Peace (see Section G3.2) was selected as the bestcandidate given local needs, project goals, and availableresources.Once project proponents understood the impoverished state ofProject Zone communities, a more comprehensive effort atdevelopment commenced under the theory that only a broad-­based,comprehensive socio-­‐economic program would reducethe impact of Project Zone communities on the Project Area in ameaningful and permanent way. At this stage, projectproponents adopted the UN Millennium Development Goals forIndonesia as a roadmap to community engagement. A numberof additional programs linked explicitly to these goals (andreferencing the needs of Project Zone communities as indicatedin the social survey) were researched, budgeted, andincorporated as major project activities. Going forward,communities will again be consulted in order to refine, elaborate,and prioritize these programs.Process FrameworkAs part of the Rimba Raya project’s community developmentinitiatives, project proponents will focus on the followingfoundational issues, all of which must be addressed in aconcerted fashion for true community engagement on higher-­orderactivities:1. Access to Information2. Participation3. Capacity BuildingThese three issues are described in the table below, commencingwith a review of current status, identifying problems that willlikely be encountered in addressing each issue, clarifying the goalstate, and recommending strategies for development.173